Broken Ties
by Demonboy2369
Summary: In a world as dark as the Ninja World, bonds are said to be what keeps souls in the light, away from corruption. But when your home is shrouded in darkness, how long can even the purest of bonds survive? Rating may change.
**Well, here I am again. My apologies for vanishing; life tends to command your attention for the greater part of you existence when wrapped up in personal matters (I speak, of course, of college, and all other personal aspects in life). Oh well, I finally found freedom, and hopefully I'll become a regular here from now on. Being close to graduation tends to grant more spare time.**

 **To those of you who enjoyed my debut piece, Silent Plead for the Harry Potter fandom, a sequel is in the works. In fact, it has been for the past three years in between what time I could spare to write. That being said, this is a different project, and hope you all enjoy it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, the ending would have been** _ **very**_ **different.**

* * *

The Hidden Leaf Village…

The greatest military power in the Five Great Countries, and the beating heart of the Land of Fire. Throughout history, it has witnessed the birth of many clans, and countless waves of history churn at its base. Darkened backgrounds of war, eras of strife and power, and ages of peace and prosperity ; the Leaf Village has gone through them all, and stands on top of the ninja world as a testament of experience and survival through the dark times.

You know the rest.

This is the tale of a young man who, with his nation at his back, made an enemy of the entire Shinobi World, and rose to become the right hand of the greatest threat in the history of the world. And yet, he grew to become a legend amongst all ninja, whether they were from Hidden Villages or Rogue Nin. He was respected as much as he was feared, admired and reviled all the same.

This is his story.

* * *

 _~***Eight years after the Nine-Tails attack***~_

"Freak! Weakling! Crybaby!"

Shrill words from the mouth of a girl no older than perhaps eight, and one who wore quite the hideous scowl on her youthful face, her eyes reflecting malice and sadistic glee. She might as well have been feeling exhilaration, as well. This was a child who derived pleasure from power. The kind of power where one feels superior and relishes in asserting their status as the alpha over the helpless. On these grounds, we'll settle for the word 'bully'.

The unfortunate target of the hurtful words was another girl, one who looked far smaller and sensitive than the bully. Emerald green eyes were halfway shut, twitching as they held back tears from spilling out. When facing against bullies, there was always the solution of shrugging them off. If you show you are not affected by their words, maybe they will get bored and just give up. That is the tactic the young victim was going for.

Unfortunately, some bullies are quite the stubborn lot. Perhaps because of their thick-headedness, or maybe because they simply don't want to waste time hunting for other defenseless prey. And sad to note, ignoring is often misinterpreted as a challenge to one's foolish pride.

"Hey, forehead-freak! You listening to me?!" the bully growled, and upon receiving nothing but a stifled whimper from the walking target, she gestured to two other girls flanking her sides.

At once, the two cronies proceeded to block the retreating girl's path, craning forward to invade her personal bubble on purpose. The girl froze and, refusing to meet their gaze, timidly stepped to the side and continued to walk away.

The lead bully, for whatever reason, took further offense to that. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied a pebble just near her foot. "Grr, think you're so cool or something?! I'll teach you!" In one quick motion she bent down, grasped for the pebble, and threw it with all the kid strength she could muster.

The small piece of rock hit the girl on the side of her head, eliciting a startled cry as she stumbled to the left and one hand reached for where she had been hurt. She turned to the bully with big eyes of shock and hurt through strands of pink hair. "That…That hurt…"

"Gonna cry now like the little baby you are?!" the bully smirked.

The girl simply stared back with a disbelieving stare, the waterworks fully welling up in her eyelids.

"Whoa, geez Ami," one of the cronies uttered, "That might be taking it too far."

"Oh, since when are you a goody-two-shoes, Kasumi?" Ami snorted. "Admit it, you thought it was funny."

"It kind of was," the other bully follower said in an amused tone of voice. "The look on her face, though…"

"…was the best," Ami finished, reaching for another pebble on the pavement. "Well, don't just stand there, you two! Hurry up and join in on the fun!"

"Ami, Fuki, I really don't think—"Kasumi was silenced by the other bully immediately bending down to pick up a pebble and casually fling it at the frail pink-haired girl.

"Don't be the odd one out," Fuki droned as she placed an extra pebble on her friend's palm, completely unfazed by the sob she produced from the girl she'd hit.

Kasumi stared long and hard at the small matter in her hand, and then she looked at the girl with the big forehead. She hesitated, which the pinkette noticed and gave her a hopeful, pleading stare.

"Come on, what's the hold up?" Ami whined immaturely. "If you don't do it, fine, I'll do it for you!"

Kasumi flinched, but then in that instant hardened her resolve, completely discarding the epiphany she had just come across. The pink-haired girl's face fell almost immediately. Kasumi raised her hand.

The girl fell on her knees and shielded her face with her arms, bracing herself for the incoming assault from the trio.

Except that it never came.

Instead, the first thing her ears picked up was the three bullies suddenly releasing cries of pain, followed by loud 'THUD' sounds. She opened her eyes, and was met with a sight she thought she'd never see outside her imagination.

Ami, typically the big girl in charge and tormenting less defensive girls in the Ninja Academy, was on her back and clutching her forehead. Fuki and Kasumi were in similar positions, hands on their foreheads as they cried how much it stung. Upon closer inspection, there were small stones on the floor near them. Someone had given them a taste of their own medicine, it would seem.

"Who… Who?!" Ami shot up, but any anger induced by pain she had melted right off her face when she noticed a tall, older boy in dark clothes just standing from a close distance. He was bouncing a pebble on his gloved palm. At once, the young girl's eyes went wide. "Isn't that..?!"

Click-CRACK.

Any words Ami would have sputtered died on her lips as she felt a breeze shoot up close to her groin and she froze. Frightened, she shakily craned her head down, registering a small indent in the pavement spot right between her open legs. Closer inspection revealed the same pebble the older boy had been bouncing on his palm now lodged in the very middle of the created indent.

At once, she looked right at the boy, and her gaze was returned by a cold look from his seemingly lifeless, hardened red eyes. Ami stared for a moment's pause.

And at once, her vision blurring from frightened tears, she screamed. Kasumi and Fuki reacted in the same manner, all three girls at once scrambling madly to their feet before running away, all the while almost tripping.

"SUZUME-SENSEI!" the bullying trio wailed as they went, not once daring to look back.

The pink-haired girl watched her former tormentors go, and she blinked two times in quick succession. Was she dreaming? She had to have been. An outcome like this never happened in real life. Someone actually putting Ami in her place, and a _boy_ at that? She had to be dreaming.

And then she looked towards her supposed knight in shining armor. Well, more like dark knight, given the dark clothing the boy was wearing. The pinkette found herself staring, absorbing every detail of the boy, from his long pale gray hair with a small hue of lavender to it, to his pale-skinned body drabbed in gothic-like clothing, to his captivating crimson eyes. She took in his arms, exposed by the lack of sleeves on his black shirt. He was pale and rather thin, but his arms showed enough muscles developed to indicate he was no pushover. Her gaze landed back on his eyes, deep crimson that shames any rose, so cold and yet so mysterious. They were hardened, and yet they also reflected a kind of emotion her young mind couldn't identify. She found herself staring even as he began to walk forward, his eyes studying her only for a split second before he returned to staring ahead.

And as he passed by her side, it was there that she felt herself be struck by the immense aura he seemed to give off. Immediately she felt drawn to him. She turned around quickly.

"Umm… Uhh!" her tongue felt like it was tied into a knot, but she nevertheless managed to form words. She bowed deeply. "Th-Thank you-!"

The twelve-year old boy had not paused in his pace, but his hand did move to rest on the small girl's head for a moment, giving her a slight pat, before it fell back to his side.

She stood still for what seemed like a long time, now fully convinced she must be dreaming. There's no way she just got saved from Ami and her cronies, and just got a pat on the head from the rather handsome boy who'd come to her aid. But his hand felt real. Too real for it to be a dream.

She pivoted around to look at his retreating back, her green eyes shining with curiosity and admiration. He was an older boy, and judging by the Leaf headband tied around his forehead, he was a graduate. He had stepped in when no one else had, and just like that he was walking away, like this was a common nuisance in everyday life to get by.

That brief pat on her head, though. And the way he had dished out punishment to tormentors despite being older. Despite being a _boy_ and firing pebbles at younger _girls_. Well, they were unrepentant bullies, but still, he had acted as though the laws of the universe did not apply to him.

She stared at him in awe. _So…cool…_

She kept watching him as he faded with the distance. He never once broke his stride, his hands still buried in his pockets and his head staring forward. To anyone, he might have been seen as odd or even creepy, but to her, he was perfection. An ideal model of a graduated ninja, strong and dignified.

Young Sakura Haruno smiled brightly and, with a marginally renewed sense of happiness and determination, turned to head back home. She couldn't wait to go home and tell her parents of the incredible experience she had just gone through. But in her mind, all she could think about is how she aspired to be just like the boy; cool and strong to stand up for those who were just like her, weak and picked on by those who abused their power. She hoped to be an inspiration to others just as the boy had been to her.

* * *

As for the boy, he continued his travelling until he made it to a meadow with a serene atmosphere. It was a grassy plain just next to the steps that lead up to the Hokage building. It was a favorite spot. He could often get away from his bothersome classmates or anything else that pestered him during the day. Underneath the cold and collected mask lies a boy with as much conflict and frustration as anyone else his age.

Was he frustrated now? Very much so. He loathed bullies. Those who pick on the ones who have no means of defending themselves are utter trash. The Ninja Academy is responsible for breeding the next generation of capable shinobi. And what does it speak for the future that it has brats in the system? The education system needs to be made sterner. The Ninja World has no need for children incapable of taking their future seriously.

His red eyes narrowed and his calm countenance cracked slightly. _Perhaps I should volunteer as an educator. It would save our village from suffering ignoble, incompetent ninja in the line of duty._

He sighed, letting all the frustration out to be replaced by a feeling of emptiness he found all too familiar. The very same emotion his father had implanted in him in his attempts to make him the ultimate soldier. It left the boy with a conflicted sense of identity. He was a fully-fledged ninja, and ninjas don't have emotions. It gets in the way of duty. And yet he had been told otherwise time and time again by his only friends. What was he meant to be? It frustrated the boy to no end.

"Zoharu?"

The boy reacted to the motherly voice that called his name, and at once he hid any signs of the consternation that plagued his mind.

Twenty-three-year old Kurenai Yuhi spotted the black-clothed boy sitting on the grassy plains near the stairs that led to the Hokage's building. She smiled. She could always count to find him in that spot. When he didn't respond, the raven-haired woman approached slowly from behind, a curious and concerned look on her face as she noted the rather miserable look in his red eyes despite his serene, emotionless countenance.

The boy glanced up at the young chunin and stared at her for a few moments. Then, he resumed looking at the horizon; the view was calming. He wasn't in the highest place of the Leaf, but it still provided a decent view.

Kurenai took a seat next to the emotionless boy and stared over the horizon. She could see why he would often come here. The gentle breeze and provided scenery made a relaxing atmosphere that could cure one's inner turmoil with some calm thinking. She smiled nostalgically. She often came here herself back when she was a little genin hopeful in the academy.

"Nee-sama."

Kurenai instantly looked down to her right side. Zoharu hadn't moved an inch, but his eyes betrayed a hint of inner turmoil. "Why do they do it?"

Kurenai blinked. "Huh?"

"Why do clan leaders put so much importance on talent and capabilities?" Zoharu's serene look hardened into a small frown. "Look at the Hyuga, for instance. A clan divided amongst itself, with no sense of equality. One branch carries the will for the future, and the other is composed of slaves. It's no different from our clan, when you look at it that way. The only difference is that we don't put curse seals on the foreheads of our clansmen."

Kurenai eyed her younger brother in surprise. It always caught her off-guard how such a young child could speak of the injustices of the world like an adult; like a cynical veteran from a bloody war. Her eyes softened as a sad look took over her features as she eyed the boy. So young, and yet no longer innocent. It made her hate the accursed system of her clan even more than she already did. Her little brother's innocence had been sacrificed in order to make him into the perfect weapon. And she hated the fact that she couldn't do much.

"To be honest, Zoharu..." Kurenai started gently. "Even I don't have the answer to that. Every clan has their own standards, I suppose. But what I do know is that a clan leader is, essentially, the clan itself. And it's the leader's responsibility to make sure the clan survives. Therefore, he or she puts the clan's stability and strength above all else for the sake of its members. To a clan leader, a gifted child is like the key to the clan's promising future. As for the ones who are born without…much talents, well..." Kurenai thought of some form of reasoning, and was inwardly displeased with herself for not finding one. "Not all clans treat their less-gifted members the same way the Hyuga does theirs."

At Zoharu's quiet but attentive look, Kurenai continued. "I mean, take our clan for example. The Yuhi clan has ancestral ties to the Uchiha just as the Sarutobi are tied to the Senju. What we've all had in common is how, despite being 'noble', we support the roles every family member plays, no matter how insignificant. Everyone has a part to play, and it's our job as a family to support one another. That's something the Hyuga has never been able to fully grasp, having always set themselves apart due to their pride and assurance in their standing as the strongest in Konoha," she frowned at the end, thinking back on the many observations she had made at the academy regarding the Hyuga children. One was in Zoharu's grade, and she was quite the arrogant piece of work, not at all like the younger one.

Zoharu stared at his older sister quietly, an unreadable expression on his face. Then he turned to look at the village. "And yet, father has always been one to show his love and support," he muttered coldly. "You are the hope for the next generation, while I am the attempt to restore our clan back to its glory days."

"Zoharu?" Kurenai said, taken aback by the venom in his voice.

"You know it's true," he seethed. "What was it he said during the Nine-Tails' attack? 'Survive long enough to bear me a grandchild'. You are the best our clan has produced, and all he sees fit for you to do is to sit by the sidelines, away from shinobi duty, to breed the next generation," his hands clenched tightly. "You shouldn't have stopped me when he brought it up during _that_ meeting."

"I stopped you because I didn't want to see you get punished," Kurenai spoke with a firm edge. "I was angry too, but if there's one thing I've learned, is that father is never going to change. He cares about us in his own way, and as his kin, we have to accept him just the way he is."

"Would you still submit yourself to the role he wants you to play?"

"Of course not. I don't have any plans to get settled, nor do I intend to think on it too much," she grinned rebelliously. "So father is going to have to deal with it."

"Yet you have that Sarutobi fellow who has been by your side since your genin days, as I recall you mentioning."

At once, Kurenai's cheeks went as crimson as her eyes. "Asuma is just a friend."

"Nee-sama," Zoharu drawled, looking at her with an unimpressed look. "You are a terrible liar."

"Oh, aren't you cute, baby brother!" Kurenai replied, looking mock offended. "When did you get to be a scholar in such matters? Have you been hanging around Kakashi again? I swear, influences are such a terrible calamity."

"No, just Itachi and Shisui. You told me to be around people closer to my age. As per your advice, I've been socializing accordingly."

"Two Uchiha," Kurenai clicked her tongue. "That only proves my point."

"Hmph..." Zoharu closed his eyes as his lips curled into a small smile. When he opened his eyes again, he was looking over the horizon with that deadened look again.

Kurenai's expression went from childish to somber as she noticed her brother's quick change in personality. She really hated to see him look so detached, so doll-like, so...cold. If there was one thing to know about Kurenai Yuhi, it's that she was one doting older sister. With their parents being the type to always be called away on missions, and the near-decade age difference, Kurenai was as much a mother figure to her younger brother as she was his older sister. As a result they were quite close, inseparable even. Their bond was beyond that of normal siblings. They were the kind that could understand one another well, and confide in each other things they would never share with anyone else. They had trust.

Kurenai sighed. "You've been thinking about what father said." It was a statement, not a question.

One that made Zoharu frown slightly; a tiny shift in facial expression that didn't escape Kurenai's notice. This only confirmed her suspicions.

"It doesn't matter what your role is, Zoharu."

That got a reaction from her usually emotionally-reserved brother. He turned his head to look at her, still with that emotionless look on his face, but the curiosity was evident.

"You are my brother, regardless of what position father puts you in," Kurenai spoke softly. "No matter what, it will always be the two of us. We're siblings, after all," Smiling motherly-like, she placed her hand on Zoharu's shoulder. "I'll always be there for you, so please don't wall off your heart even if you become strong. Even if it means being hated, I'll find a way to penetrate your barriers." Her smile became even warmer as she moved her hand to his hair and ruffled it softly. "That's what big sisters are for."

Zoharu remained stoic. He turned to look at the Leaf again even as Kurenai continued to play with his hair. And then, in a move that surprised the elder Yuhi completely, he leaned to the side until his head was in Kurenai's lap.

"Thank you, Nee-sama..." Zoharu's voice was unexpectedly soft. It sounded more humane compared to the monotone he usually spoke with. It was as though he had gotten out of his shell and was being a normal boy again.

Kurenai got over her surprise and, with a beaming smile, brought her younger brother's body over to her until he was settled into her lap. Then, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his own. She held him close, as protectively as an older sibling should hold the younger one.

She didn't give a damn if anybody saw her. She didn't care if people stopped to stare as Kurenai the Phantom was holding a young boy close with a warm look on her face. She didn't care if Asuma or if any of her other friends saw a side of her she never displayed often in public.

Right now she was just happy to be spending time with her little brother, and she wasn't about to let him go. Not when he was demonstrating signs of breaking out of his emotionless shell.

"I will always love you, Zoharu…" Kurenai murmured into her brother's hair. "Never forget that."

Her brother responded by leaning back, making himself comfortable on her lap.

Kurenai smiled warmly, rested her head on top of his, and said nothing more.

The two siblings sat together in silence and enjoyed the view.

* * *

* _A few months later, at the Chunin Exams_ *

"Okay class, if you'll just follow me. That's right, this way, this way, no one wander off now," Iruka Umino ushered his students through the many rows of seat at the arena, guiding the children to a specially reserved front row arranged by The Third himself. "We're almost there, come on everybody. Just settle in—NARUTO, KIBA! Stop messing around back there!"

"What? He pushed me first!" the blond whined.

"Heck no, you did!" the Inuzuka retorted. "I'm just trying to get to my seat, and you got in my way, pipsqueak!"

"Took the words right out of my mouth, dog breath!"

"What was that?!"

"YOU TWO!" Iruka thundered, closing any room for argument between the two boys, and at the same time drawing looks from other seated groups. Once he had both of their attention, he calmed himself, but the consternation was still present. "There are plenty of front row seats for everyone. Now, form a single file, get in the row, and sit. Down. Understood?"

"Yes sensei," the two troublemakers grumbled under their breath.

"Good grief…"Iruka released a suffering sigh. As much as he loved teaching, he also had to contend with the troublemakers that come with every class. In this case, he had to deal with four. It was a comfort to notice Shikamaru and Choji were behaving today, but then again those two don't really actively seek trouble…apart from ditching class or eating during class. Still, they weren't as bad as the two knuckleheads he just had to raise his voice at.

And yet, he couldn't help but shake his head with a small grin. To be that young and mischievous again, they were a spitting image of himself back when he attended the academy. They were all good kids, even if their fun sometimes came at his expense.

Once he noted all the students were seated, Iruka allowed himself to relax as he practically fell on the chair at the end of the row. It was really nice of The Third to approve his request to take the class on this little trip to watch this year's Chunin Exam finals. The idea for it came as a rewarding act of generosity, more or less. They had done their work considerably well (Iruka still pinched his arm just to make sure he wasn't under a low-level genjutsu in which Naruto actually handed in his homework assignment on time), and the weekend was upon them, so he decided to reward their good efforts with this nice treat; front row seats at the Chunin Exams arena, with a show of Genin who will engage in friendly combat to determine who earns the right to advance to Chunin rank.

Of course, Iruka had no way of knowing this year's exams were going to be a tad more serious than usual.

"Eesh, boys, huh," Ino Yamanaka shook her head as she watched Naruto and Kiba argue for the seat in the middle, only to be silenced by a quick warning look from Iruka. "I swear, those two are such a hassle. Always loud and annoying, getting into trouble. I'm glad I'm not sitting next to them. Right, Sakura? You think so too, right?"

"Sure, Ino," the pink-haired girl said without much care, her attention more on the environment around her. It was the first time she had been to an event where nearly all of the village's population gathered. And now here she was with her class, front row seats at the arena to behold the Chunin Exams of this year's graduating class.

"All the boys here are trouble," Ino said resolutely, before her eye caught hold of a certain dark haired boy sitting at the far end of the row. At once, her expression and tone did a one-eighty. "Except for Sasuke-kun, of course!"

"Right," Sakura said, very much disinterested.

Ino's face deflated. "You know, you really would be the oddball out of all girls who didn't find our cool and amazing resident Uchiha attractive, you know that, right?"

Sakura looked at her and blinked. "Hinata doesn't like him like that," she pointed out.

The shy Hyuga, who was sitting next to them, immediately let out a sound akin to a 'meep' upon being brought into the discussion and at once began to try to stammer out a response.

Ino blinked in realization. "Hey, come to think of it… Hinata, you're always by yourself, so no one really knows."

"Kn…knows what?" Hinata stuttered, already dreading where the blonde's inquiry was headed.

"Who do you like, of course!" Ino said with a goofy grin. "Every girl has a crush, well, except Sakura, apparently, which I refuse to believe, by the way."

"Whatever you say, pig," the pink-haired girl shrugged, smiling innocently.

"Soooo, do you have anyone you admire from a distance, Hinata?" Ino said with what could be best described as a predatory look.

The shy girl, meanwhile, was dropping three pounds worth of sweat. "W-Well…th-that's…"

"Argh, fine Kiba! You can have the frickin' seat, I don't care! It's a lame spot, anyway!" Naruto barked as he stomped his way to where the girls were, scanning for an open seat. "Hey Hinata, this seat taken?"

The girl froze, at once wondering if maybe she was asleep back at the compound and having the most pleasant dream she ever had. If she was sleeping, she hoped she didn't wake up.

"Oh, uh…n-n-no, not at all… Please, help yourself, N-Naruto…"

"Sweet! Thanks Hinata!" the boy threw himself excitedly at the seat, his elbow coming into direct contact with the girl's arm.

Hinata squeaked. That felt real. So she wasn't dreaming. Naruto was really sitting next to her. Naruto was sitting next to her.

"Hinata, you didn't answer my question," Ino interrupted the Hyuga's happy train of thought.

"Never mind that!" Sakura suddenly spoke up. "Look! The first contestants!"

The two genin marched to the middle of the arena and faced one another.

"Hey, Hinata? Isn't that girl from your clan?" Ino whispered over to the timid girl.

"Y-Yes… Hikari-nee-chan…" Hinata murmured.

"Your big sister?"

"Cousin, actually…"

"Huh. Wonder how she'll do against her competition."

It was a match that ended as soon as it had begun, making it clear Hinata's cousin was among the most prodigious in skills in their clan. The rest of the fights continued without too many interesting details to go over. There was Kiba's older sister among the participants, and she had won in her fight, lasting in the line-up until she was up against Hikari Hyuga. Hana Inuzuka had lost, but her performance had certainly earned favorable reviews from the judges. She was guaranteed to be promoted to chunin, without a doubt. At that point, everyone was under the assumption the Hyuga genin was the eligible champion of this year's exams.

"It's the finals and your cousin's up again, Hinata," Ino said with a smile. "At this rate, I just feel bad for whoever has to go against her."

"Y-Yes…" Hinata mumbled shyly, not quite in agreement with Ino, but at the same time assured that her cousin would emerge victorious. After all, she had made it all the way to the finals, and now she was going to face the genin who had been moved to face whoever made it to the final round due to a mix-up with the line-up.

"Look, here comes her opponent-" young Sakura's breath caught in her throat, her attention now fixated on the other contestant. _It's him…_

Off in the corner of the row, sitting as far away from his classmates as much as he could, Sasuke eyed the same boy the pink-haired girl was staring at. _That's Nii-san's friend…_

* * *

"Hey, I see Sasuke and his class over there," Shisui noted as he and his best friend took their seats. "We're late, but looks like we got here just in time for the finals."

"We made it just as it's Zoharu's turn," Itachi said, his tone hinting at the amusement he felt at the irony.

"And he's up against that Hyuga girl," the older Uchiha whistled. "Final match and it's a tough customer. Tough break. What was her name, uh…"

"Hikari," Itachi supplied. "And yes, she is skilled, and will prove a difficult obstacle for Zoharu. This will put all he has learned to the test."

"You forget, Zoharu is as much a prodigy as you are, Itachi," Shisui grinned. "But you're right. I do want to see how far he's come, especially if those sparring sessions he took with us will show results."

"Which is why you shouldn't be so sure of the outcome before it comes," Itachi lightly chided.

"What, can't show faith in our buddy?"

"It's not that," Itachi shook his head. "Ability and skill aren't the only factors that determine the outcome," he was giving Zoharu a thoughtful look as he finished speaking.

* * *

"Your kid brother's up."

"I can see that, Asuma."

"Heh," the Jonin leaned back in his seat, resting his head on his arms. "This is going to be one hell of a match."

Kurenai, however, was looking at the combatants intently. _That's what worries me…_

* * *

"You may begin now," Hayate Gekko, the exam proctor, announced in his soft voice.

Zoharu stood as still as a statue, not even taking a fighting stance. His opponent showed no such reservation.

"Well, well, who would have thought I'd end up fighting you?" Hikari asked rhetorically, her tone haughty, her head held high and hands on her hips to further convey the image of someone who puts themselves above others. It was an expected trait from most Hyuga clansmen from the Main Branch, even more so for a clan who loves to remind the world they are the strongest in Konoha. "I hope you didn't pee yourself upon being brought out of the comfy arrangement of being saved for last."

Zoharu, for his part, still showed no signs of acknowledgement aside from staring at his opponent. To any spectator, they would be beholding a boy frozen with stage fright and pressure, too timid to even put up a defensive stance. But those who are close to him know better. Right now his sole focus is not the audience witnessing them, not the Hokage sitting on the top spectator box of the arena, but his opponent standing arrogantly before him. And just like a machine, he was staring at her with a scrutinizing gaze to analyze any possible weaknesses, something, anything in the body language that would give away any show of sloppiness or unprotected flaw. He frowned, an indicator that his thinking process complete.

It would seem easy to conclude that Hikari Hyuga's unbearable pride would be her downfall, but she wasn't most people. This was one aspect Zoharu begrudgingly acknowledged; despite her arrogance, Hikari does have the skills to back it up. Just like any Hyuga. In their class, she ranked top in taijutsu, came in second in ninjutsu arts, and her grade performance was with the top three. To any other of their peers, taking on Hikari in a match is suicide unless you're a good long-range fighter, which Zoharu unfortunately wasn't. He could see and analyze far, but he hated fighting at a distance, not unless it was strictly required. And despite the fact that he was taking on a Hyuga, the undisputable masters of close-range combat in the ninja world, he still did not feel inclined to resort to attacking from the shadows. So since he was taking the suicidal path, he had to be extra cautious, and perform like a perfectionist would; a single, teeny misstep and he was finished.

"Not even going to defend yourself?" Hikari drawled. "Well, if you're just gonna hand me the victory, I might as well make it look a bit more flashy than just you giving up," an arrogant smirk. "I won't even have to use my Byakugan even once!"

It was as soon as she said that last word that she charged straight, her arm poised to strike with two fingers. Zoharu patiently waited for her to bring her fist close; he was on the defense, and had no plan to attack yet, so for now, dance around her until she shows her flaw.

Hikari brought her attack forward, and Zoharu dodged elegantly to the side. Hikari clicked her teeth and, not one to waste a move, used the momentum of her miss to bring her leg up for a sweeping kick. The albino dodged by bending himself backwards and landing on his hands, pushing himself to jump away. But the Hyuga genin wasn't finished and as soon as she recovered from the spin that came with her kick missing, she dashed at him, this time raising both hands to attack. She lunged and threw her fingers forward, but the boy dodged again with minimal effort, only quickening his pace when he felt one of her fingers titter dangerously close to his chest. He jumped high over her, landing gracefully on her original standing position before the match began.

Hikari turned to look back at her opponent, looking thoroughly annoyed. "What's the matter, Yuhi? Gonna skip around until you trip? You poor coward."

Zoharu was unfazed by the petty name-calling. His red eyes remained trained on her and he never once broke his concentration.

Hikari scowled. "If you're done gawking, maybe you're ready to actually FIGHT THIS TIME!"

As she charged at him once more, he couldn't help a small, almost invisible smirk. She was losing focus, and that would make her erratic. And with that, she'll be leaving herself wide open. However, he couldn't exactly take her calling him a coward lying down, so now it was time to move on from dancing to teasing.

The Hyuga girl pulled her arms back, this time all sets of fingers on each hand stretched up; the Hyuga clan's legendary Gentle Fist was coming. Zoharu's gaze steeled and he took on a ready stance. If he got hit, he would lose the controlling pace of the fight.

Hikari threw her arms forward, and Zoharu once again jumped over her. This time, he didn't jump as high. Hikari's eyes bulged as she felt the sole of his boot make contact with the top of her head, before applying pressure to push himself off and send her stumbling forward from the recoil. Hikari, utterly stupefied at what just happened, fell flat on her face while Zoharu landed at a fair distance, looking back at her from the corner of his eye with a look that was almost mocking.

* * *

"Wow, he is good," said Ino. "Hinata, he may just give your cousin a run for her money like Kiba's sister did!"

Hinata didn't respond, her attention on her fighting cousin, her eyes reflecting concern.

"Yeah," Sakura agreed, her attention focused solely on the boy. _Not 'good',_ she mentally rebuked her friend's statement _, He is_ amazing.

* * *

"Hmm…"

"What's up, Itachi?"

"He's getting serious," the younger of the two Uchiha noted, but frowned slightly. "However, there's something else. He's hiding something."

"Well, Zoharu has never been one for humiliation tactics while studying the opponent," Shisui conceded. "But other than that, I can't see anything wrong about it."

Itachi didn't respond. Instead, he kept his attention on the fight as it resumed.

* * *

"You…" Hikari growled as she stood up. "You son of a… You're not taking this seriously, are you?"

Silence was the only response she received, much to her ire.

"Start fighting like you mean it!" Hikari yelled, dashing with all the speed she could muster.

Zoharu was admittedly surprised by her sudden increase in speed and raised his defenses accordingly. She attacked with such ferocity that he came close to losing his footing and getting hit. But he prevailed in dodging, and at once maneuvered out of the way of her last blow before it connected.

 _I can't keep being on the defense. I need to put an end to this before she gains the upper hand_ \- Zoharu dodged another furious assault- _she is getting reckless, but that only makes her dangerous. At this rate…_

"Stop dodging and fight!" Hikari screamed. "You think you can humiliate me like this?! I am a Hyuga, and we are the strongest in Konoha!"

 _Her anger and pride are leaving her open,_ Zoharu noted as he continued moving away from her assault of fists. _And…there!_

Hikari threw another fist forward and Zoharu moved away yet again, but this time, he finally countered. He caught her arm with one hand and, with a quick one-eighty pivotal, threw her off in the opposite direction. Hikari quickly recovered while still soaring and quickly jumped to her feet. She looked at Zoharu with a murderous glare, her Byakugan flaring to life, thus making her look even more frightening.

"THAT'S IT!" she snapped, running at Zoharu, but with one arm going into her back weapons pouch.

The albino watched as she came at him and jumped to the air. From her pouch she produced a smoke bomb, which she threw violently down to the ground. The small orb exploded into a cloud of smoke covering the area around him.

Zoharu scowled and brought his fists up and spread his legs slightly in a defensive stance. _Sight is out, but there is still sound._

He focused his hearing, listening to any rapid footfalls around him. He heard movement from the left, and he moved his head back as he felt the air tense. He managed to dodge a strike, but then he felt a pair of fingers jab painfully into his side. His eyes went wide and out from his mouth came out a gasp of air. _Damn it._

From within the smoke, Hikari smirked triumphantly. "You're mine now!"

And it was in that instant that Zoharu felt a barrage of very painful finger jabs into his upper body area. She struck his stomach, his side, his arm, his back, she was moving at such a quick pace that it felt as though she had sprouted an extra pair of arms, which would explain the rapid assault. It was no use, he conceded. He must have been hit sixteen times now, enough blows from the Gentle Fist to dampen his chakra network considerably. He managed to raise his arms up. It was a feeble defense, but at least it protected his more sensitive chakra points.

But then, something truly unexpected happened. Hikari, so caught up in her glee at having finally landed a blow on her opponent and attacking at such a rapid pace which started to show her inexperience, didn't notice her hand swerve away at the last second before impact, completely missing her target. It all happened so quickly, but Zoharu spotted the window of opportunity. He was dazed from the first blows, but that accidental miss on her part had provided just the reprieve the albino needed to strike back.

He brought his fists up. He used his left forearm to block her next incoming strike and shove it away. Hikari was completely unprepared and was now wide open, and Zoharu didn't miss a beat in seizing the opportunity. It was now or never. He brought his fist forward, striking her in her shoulder, withdrawing it after achieving the stunning effect and his next fist went for her stomach. He threw a right hook at her arm, further disrupting her balance. Another straight punch just above her groin, and now the coup de grace; a swift right rook right at her face.

Hikari stumbled on her feet, completely stunned and dazed from the quick flurry of blows she received. She collapsed face first to the ground, but she wasn't knocked out. She was still conscious and ready to kick herself back on her feet. But Zoharu was a step ahead. He immediately leaped unto her, pinning her down to the ground. Hikari released a cry of anger and swung her arm up in an attempt to push him off. Instead, she gave him a leverage; he grabbed her arm in a vice grip, bringing his foot down close to her head while putting pressure on her arm as he twisted it behind her. She tried to use her free arm to scratch at his leg savagely, and he responded by pulling her arm further back. At the sudden burst of pain, she relented angrily. She had been subdued. The smoke cleared and every single spectator was beholden to the sight. Hikari felt her cheeks redden as the humiliation sank in, even more so at the fact that she was aware her clan was among the audience. She was supposed to be the most gifted one produced from her clan in her age, and she had been disgraced. In all her hubris, she had forgotten that despite her abilities and talent, she was still young and inexperienced with no real knowledge of the world.

"Give up," Zoharu uttered coldly. He pulled her arm further back to indicate what would be the consequence if she didn't yield.

Hikari gritted her teeth, a furious scowl governing her face as the veins surrounding her eyes seemingly bulged more, looking ready to pop. She dug her nails deep into the ground, and then flung dirt behind her. Zoharu reacted by instinct and loosened his grip on her arm to protect himself. Hikari seized the moment and freed her arm from his hold. With a quick twist of her upper body, she slammed her open palm squarely into his chest.

Zoharu felt like an explosion went off in his lungs, his mouth fell open as strained air went out his windpipe. Then the rest of the impact kicked in as he was blown away by the shockwave that came as the Gentle Fist's finishing touch. He stopped himself from soaring away any further by planting his feet firmly on the ground, but that didn't stop the rush of nausea he suddenly felt well up inside him. With one hand clutching at his chest, he bent over and proceeded to gag and cough as the world spun around him. He didn't have the luxury to recover, however.

Hikari had decided at this point to not spare him any sense of mercy, and so she was running at him, ready to strike what was without a doubt a finishing blow. Both hands had their index and middle fingers extended, enhanced by chakra. " **Gentle Fist: Twin Snake Strike**!"

Zoharu slowly looked up as her fingers drew close to him.

The ground around them suddenly blew up, chunks of dirt and grass flying off as a shockwave came from the two. When the dust settled, a most shocking sight graced everyone's vision.

Hikari held in her breath, a numbness overcoming her as she felt herself stop before she landed her attack. Even more spellbinding, she felt the fabric of Zoharu's gloves wrapped around her striking fingers.

He had stopped her, and cancelled her attack, no less.

The audience let out a collective gasp.

Hikari just stared dumbly, her mind attempting to register her best attack, which she had trained restlessly for months to develop, had failed.

Zoharu slowly drew himself to his full height, his grip on her fingers not once lessening. He stared at her coldly, his face a mask which hid any previous signs that he had been injured before, and yet his eyes clearly reflected how much in pain he was. He was pushing back the fire he felt in his chest and the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm his head. Forcing his body to go on like this was not healthy, but he was that driven to stand up. As a ninja, there was no room for weakness.

"H…How…" Hikari mumbled. "How can this be…? This isn't… How are you doing this…?! There's no way a lower trash like you could—Ugh!"

She winced as she felt her fingers be forced back, feeling a crick in her bones go off. Zoharu didn't bat an eye, instead only applying more force to fingers as he bent them back.

"St…Stop it….!" Hikari tried to push herself away, but Zoharu had a powerful hold on her. She could only seethe in pain as he kept forcing her fingers back, cringing in agony as she felt her finger's bones crick horribly again. "How are you doing this?! I am a Hyuga! And Hyuga is the strongest in all of Konoha! I am an elite! I am one of the strongest—"

"Being the strongest does not equate to being invincible," Zoharu's voice echoed coldly like a winter breeze. "How many dreams have you grinded into the dirt? How much sense of hopelessness have you wedged into the minds of young ones aspiring to be greater than their potential?" his crimson eyes carved daggers into her soul. "See me as the retribution you've had coming since the day you knocked a classmate down for daring to dream."

SNAP!

Hikari threw her head back and screamed in anguish as she felt the bones in her fingers splinter, howling in great pain even as Zoharu released his grip on her, allowing for his handiwork to be seen.

* * *

The academy class that would go on to become the Nine Rookies watched what just unfolded with varying degrees of dismay, their young minds registering the cold-blooded violence that had just taken place. Among them, Naruto was still with his mouth agape, unable to form words. Hinata was looking away, eyes shut as tears welled up behind her eyelids.

"O-Oh my…" Ino tried to speak, but her words died as she got a good look at the girl's hands, causing her to bring a hand to her mouth.

Sakura was silent, staring at the arena with an expression that was hard to distinguish between horror and awe. It was impossible to tell.

Sasuke merely stared, shocked and yet captivated.

* * *

"Whoa…" Shisui breathed.

Itachi said nothing, his eyes narrowing as he stared down at the arena.

* * *

Zoharu stared impassively at the pained kunoichi before him. "Have you reconsidered giving up?"

Those words acted like a violent trigger. In that instant, Hikari glared murderously at her opponent. "GO TO HELL!"

She attempted to swing a kick at him, but it was a foolish move. Zoharu blocked her incoming kick with his arm and then countered with a kick of his own to her chest that sent her down to the ground. Hikari tried to get up, but her body suddenly felt very worn and heavy. The pain in her hands did not help, as when she tried to steady herself on them, she would feel the pain spike up to the core of her being. She couldn't get up.

Her eyes widened as she heard footsteps coming in her direction. Before long, Zoharu was looming over her, that cold look still present as he stared at her with distaste, like one would to an insect that is unworthy of any effort to so much as squish. As that realization dawned on her, Hikari felt the world around her break.

"You have lost, Hyuga," Zoharu said simply, but the way he dropped her surname was mocking.

Hikari looked like she had been stabbed in the gut. She gave him a glare of death, her pale eyes brimming with tears of humiliation.

Hayate cleared his throat as he stepped forward. "The winner is Zoharu Yuhi."

If there was any applause, the albino didn't register it. Instead, he focused on walking towards the exit, feeling fed up with being in the arena all of a sudden. He never liked crowds, and he certainly did not want to be held back for some silly ceremony. He won, he'll advance to Chunin, so there's no other reason to remind behind. Before Hayate could say anything, Zoharu had already turned around and was walking in the direction of the stairs that led to the upper floors.

Then, he stopped abruptly and stood completely rigid.

Hayate turned his attention to the boy, noticing the very odd behavior in body language. The Special Jonin felt a sudden flare of wind as long strands of raven hair seemed to dash by him.

"I refuse… _to accept this_!" Hikari screamed for all to hear as she rushed at the frozen boy, having kicked herself into a standing position and was now running like a possessed child, intending to strike at the boy when he was clearly vulnerable from exhaustion.

Hayate moved to intercept, but two things happened in quick succession.

First, Hikari felt the adrenaline that willed her body to move suddenly die out, and suddenly she was acutely aware of how badly her legs hurt and how heavy her body felt. And so she fell forward, her chin hitting the dirt. Her gaze fell on the boy in time to witness what happened next.

Zoharu suddenly let out something that sounded like the release of a small, brief air. Then he collapsed, completely still, creating a soft thud as his body fell onto the ground.

Hayate instantly rushed towards the boy and was alarmed by what he saw. The boy's red eyes were staring forward, his mouth slightly open. His chest was not moving.

As soon as Hayate had bellowed "MEDICS!" ,Kurenai had already flown down from the audience, and was beside her brother's still form in an instant. She rested her head on his chest for a second to ascertain a heartbeat. When she heard none, she immediately pulled out a kunai and cut his shirt open vertically. Her hands were immediately on his chest, right over the position of his heart, and she pushed with all her might. It took a few tries, and just as she was about to resort to breathing into his mouth, Zoharu came back to life with a resounding coughing fit, jerking up as he recovered the ability to breathe again. He registered that Nee-sama was at his side, and there were two medical ninja coming by with a stretcher.

And then he felt himself grow very weak and the world dim around him. He didn't feel himself hit the earth again, nor feel himself being carried away by the medics.

* * *

"Well, uhh, guess that wraps up our class trip," Iruka said, clearing his throat after a pregnant pause. He was still trying to wrap his head around what had just transpired. Sure, it was the Chunin Exams, but that had felt like a real battle, not a friendly competition. And given what had just happened to the victor, it was no secret the Hyuga girl had meant to kill him. Inwardly, he wondered how this all reflected on the young, impressionable students he was escorting today.

As all the students who would go on to become the Nine Rookies filed out of the row and followed after their instructor, each of them speaking animatedly about the match that just took place, only one of them kept quiet. She had observed the match while primarily focusing on the boy, and now her thoughts dwelled solely on him.

 _Zoharu Yuhi-san…_ Sakura tested the name in her thoughts, mutely repeating it with her mouth. It had an interesting effect on her tongue. And wait, Yuhi? So he was related to Kurenai-sensei, evident by how the older woman was quick to jump to assistance. She started thinking that next time Kurenai-sensei was giving a lecture on genjutsu at the academy, she would stay behind and wish her brother a healthy recovery. Maybe ask if, provided he was checked in the hospital or recuperating at home, she could visit him.

After all, she aspired to be like him one day, and so she should put effort in meeting her role model.

* * *

 **And that about wraps up the first chapter of this story, which I should mention has quite a bit of history to it. This written work dates back to my days at Quizilla, back when that was the website with all the flavors for writing, and all the novelty one could hope to find in a site. And, of course, back when I was younger and starting out as a writer. Needless to say, what you all have read here is** _ **incredibly**_ **different compared to the original version, which no longer exists with Quizilla going under two years ago.**

 **Given the nature of this story as an AU and I can imagine some of, if not most, of you are dismayed to read an OC plays a big role, rest assured on the following;**

 **First, I'll answer any and all questions you may state in your reviews. Last thing a writer should want is to have his/her readers lost or eternally curious on what the devil is going on.**

 **Second, Zoharu will be the** _ **only**_ **OC of significant importance in this story. I've spent my time reading several other stories filled to the brim with OCs and I can agree with a lot of people in that having too many OCs simply destroys the formula of the story in terms of the characters. That, and I understand full well how exhausting it can be to come across an OC-centered story, and have that character turn out to be either a Stu or a Sue (whichever you prefer). For that reason, any other OC you may come across in my story will only serve to be a plot device, such as a civilian character with a prominent background and presence on a canon character's life, but stay strictly in the background. After all, one of the great gateways in fanfiction is that you can expand on the canon characters were you see fit.**

 **Now with that out of the way, here's a small bit of trivia; as this is a reboot of something I started writing when I was somewhere between seventh and eighth grade, I had already planned what needed to be changed to fit my new style of writing and to make it fit better with the other, far more successful stories in the fanfic world. Zoharu is not a Japanese name, and googled as many times as I've had, I can never find any real origin to the name. I was going to supply my OC with a brand new name, something far more believable in a world of ninja and Japanese culture, but after careful consideration, I decided to make an exception. I had used the OC in many of my drabbles when writing about Naruto that it grew on me and the character. Also, I figured it would be a nice little call out to any other surviving Quizilla writers/readers out there. Now I wasn't exactly in the top ten, or even the top fifty back at Quizilla, but I did have plenty of people who took the time to read my work, people whose works were certainly far better than mine. I'm getting nostalgic.**

 **Well, that's enough drabble for one post-chapter end, so see you all next time!**


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